Dual control for the throttle and reversing means of pressure fluid engines



April 10, 1951 c. H. COSNETT DUAL CONTROL FOR THE THROTTLE AND REVERSING MEANS OF PRESSURE FLUID ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1945 r M H e w I (IzarZes (fl. [Os/wit, 24m and April 10, 1951 c. H. COSNETT 2,548,198 DUAL CONTROL FOR THE THROTTLE AND REVERSING MEANS OF PRESSURE FLUID ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1945 A iiiiiiiiiiiiiil" Patented Apr. 10, 1951 DUAL CONTROL FOR THE THROTTLE AND REVERSING MEANS OF PRESSURE FLUID ENGINES Charles H. Cosnett, Kingsville, Ohio Application November 15, 1945, Serial No. 628,861

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a pressure fluid control system for engines, and it has particular reference to the control of the mooring engines of ships which have to pay out or to pull in the mooring cables during the mooring operation. This operation requires frequent standstill, reversal and short operation of the engine in different directions without delay or time lag between the directions given by the pilot or operator, directing the mooring operation and the execution of the order, and the engine operator is therefore fully occupied at the controls during such operation. Two men at least are therefore required for the operation described. Quite apart from the fact that a one-man control is desirable from the standpoint of economy, such a control by a single man, watching the effect of the operation while operating the mooring engine, will increase the safety and the ease of the ships maneuver.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a control of the mooring engine which may be operated by one man and which is established near the rail thus permitting the operator to watch the eifect of the operation controlled and to direct the ships maneuver. Such a control has to be exercised by a single control lever moved into various positions. It is therefore a further object of the invention to provide hydraulic means translating the movement of said lever into a control of the engine producing rotation in the desired direction and with the desired speed or standstill.

It is a further object of the invention to so arrange the single control lever which is to be manipulated that the direction in which said lever is moved is coincident with the direction in which the ship will move when the operation controlled by the lever is started.

A further object of the invention consists in a hydraulic system whichmay be operated by a plurality of master control levers performing the control in the above described manner, which are located at several convenient places permitting observation of the mooring maneuvers, each of which may be used to control the system while 2 embodiment can only be described with reference to specific details. This description and the illustration in the drawings, although referring to these details are also describing the principles and general ideas and will foreshadow other practical embodiments using modified specific details. These further modifications, included in the annexed claims, are therefore not constituting departures from the invention, but are part thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic control arrangement.

Figure 2 is an enlarged partly sectional view of the reversing valves and of the throttle valve control cylinders controlled thereby.

Figure 3 is an elevational fragmentary sectional view of a known type of valve which may be used in connection with the invention.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1, ll! refers to the mooring engine in general, which is of any conventional type. Such mooring engines are either steam engines or internal combustion engines and in this latter case are provided with a suitable clutch and reversing mechanism. In some cases they are reversible. To describe the invention it will be assumed that the mooring engine is a steam engine having a cylinder 6, a throttle valve '1, and reversing gear 8 which includes the slotted Stephenson link 9, which may be operated by a hand lever -Il arranged near the engine, but may also be operated by a link rod I2 leading to the hydraulic system. Likewise the throttle valve may be, operated by hand in a conventional manner not shown and by a link 13 connected with a rod I4 operated by the hydraulic control system.

The hydraulic control system, as illustrated, comprises two master control lever arrangements generally designated by A and B which are operating merely alternatively as has been explained, one of the control levers being only used at one time for controlling the mooring engine. It is however of advantage in order to enable the operator to watch the mooring maneuver whileoperatin the engine tohave the lever positioned near the rail at vantage point, permitting close observation and if such a position is assigned, at least two control levers have to be provided at the two sides. It is however to be understood that it depends on the construction of the ship where the master control lever is positioned and whether one, two or more control levers operating alternatively are to be provided. r

The master control lever arrangement A comprises the stick i5 iulcrumed at it and provided with a handle H. The arrangement moreover may comprise the dented or notched segment I8 whose notches may be engaged by a toothed spring pressed barattached to the stick ior fixing it in certain positions, This conventionalarrangement is not shown in the diagram, merely the notched segment being indicated. 7

The lever arm 20 of the stick l5 below the inicrum carries a pivot 29 for the. link 2| wh ch 18 pivotally connected on the other 'sidewith a valve stem 22. Said stem, as may be seen in the diagram, is moved up and down when .the master control lever is moved forward or backward.

A second link 23 is attachedto the SUCK 15 above the fulcrum and is pivotally connected to the valve stem 24 of asecond valve.

The valve stem 22 moves the control valve which is generally referred to by 25 and consists of a cylinder 26 provided with a number of ports 21, 2a and 30, 31 for the distribution of the pressure fluid and with a central port 32 connected with the constant pressure pipe 33 of the system which leads to the pressure tank 34. Among the distribution ports the ports 21 and 3! are exhaust ports leading to exhaust pipes 35, at which may join and are connected with the discharge pipe 31 of the system which leads to the discharge tank 38.

The valve '40 moving within the cylinder 26 is a distribution valve of the slide valve type and is provided with .two piston like end portions 4| filling the cylinder tightly and a middle portion 42 of restricted diameter permitting circulationof the pressure fluid. In itself this distribution valve construction is conventional and other well known conventional constructions may be substituted without changing the system.

The distributing pipes 43, 44 leading from the ports 30 and 28 respectively are connected w th the throttle valve cylinder 45 which contains a piston 8 6 carrying the piston rod 48 linked to the. rod [4 and throttle valve lever IS.

The cylinder 45 (Figure 2) is connected with a by-pass conduit 41 communicating with the cylinder at different heights at and above the lowest position of the piston by means of bypass channels 50, 5|, 52 and each by-pass chanhe is controlled by a check valve 53, 54, 55 which may be adjustable. An adjustable valve of this type is shown in Figure 3. The valve body H is provided with a sleeve guided by stern Hi having a collar H2 which limits the valve movement. The collar H2 and stem iii are both adjustable by meansof spindle H3 and hand wheel H4. The extent to which the valve opens and the pressure drop in a fluid passing the valve is thus made adjustable. Adjustment is made in, such a manner that the fluid streaming through the by-pass is subjected to some pressure reduction. The by-pass channels substantially equalize the pressure on both sides of the piston with certain time lag. As soon as the piston, therefore has moved past the first of the by-pass channels 52, 50 on its way up, pressure starts to buildup on the other side of the piston. The pressure which is thus built up will equalize the working pressure on the piston after a shorter time when the pressure acting originally on the piston is a relatively small reduced pressure. It takes a longer time to equalize the pressure on both sides of the piston if the pressure acting on the piston is high.

Therefore, the piston, when under reduced pressure, will come to rest in an intermediate position. The piston under the full fluid pressure will however go to a point which is above the last equalizing channel and therefore will practically go to the end of the stroke. The bypass channel system and its valves are so designed that the piston 26 may come to rest in intermediate positions corresponding to different positions the valve 40 may occupy when the master control lever 15 is moved, as will be more fully explained below.

The second link 23 connected with the master control lever i5 operates a valve stem 24 of the reverse control valve 60. This control device again comprises a cylinder 6| provided with 5 ports 62, 63, 6 5, 65, 66 two of which 62, 66 are discharge openings connected with discharge pipes 61, 88 which lead to the main discharge pipe 3'! connected with the discharge tank 38. The ports 63, 65 are distribution ports connected with distribution pipes it, ill leading to the lower and upper end respectively of the reverse control cylinder 32. The cylinder contains a piston i3, attached to piston rod Hi which is connected with the link rod l2 operating the slotted reversing link 9 of the reversing mechanism.

For effecting the distribution of the pressure fluid the casing (it contains the distribution valve 15 provided with twopiston like ends 16 tightly fitting into the cylinder 6| with a middle portion ll of reduced diameter permitting the flow of the fluid between the ports which are enclosed between the piston like ends. The central port 6 3 which is not covered by the piston like ends, whatever the position of the valve, is therefore connected with the constant pressure pipe 18 which in its turn is connected with the constant pressure pipe 33 leading to the pressure tank 34.

As a rule a fluid such as oil will be used which is permanently circulating in the hydraulic control system. In :this case a circulation pump is inserted between the discharge tank 38 collecting the exhaust or pressureless fluid and the pressure tank 34 which furnishes the fluid under pressure. The suction pipe 8| oi the said pump is connected with tank 38 while its pressure pipe 82 leads to tank 34.

In order to permit or to facilitate manual control of the reversing gear by means of the hand lever li a pressure equalizing pipe 83 is inserted between pips l6 and H which is provided with a manually operated valve 84. When the operator wants to operate the engine without using the control levers on deck he first equalizes the fluid pressure on both sides of the piston '13 thus permitting operation of the hand lever without having to overcome the fluid pressure.

It has already been mentioned that a plurality of master control levers may be used, a second system being indicated at B. Such an additional master control lever system consists of the same components which were already described, 00-- operating with the same two cylinders 45 and i2 and connected with the same pressure and exhaust pipes 33 and 31 respectively. Merely the lever system and the two control valves are duplicated and are designated in the drawings with the same reference letters used to describe the first system with the index in added thereto. A further description seems unnecessary.

In order to select one master control lever and to make it operative, while the other control lever system remains idle and without influence, the

constant pressure fluid pipe33 and one or several of the distribution pipes 35, 36 are provided with valves 99, 9|, 90a, 9Ia, preferably of the plug type adapted 'to be opened and closed by means of operating levers 92, 98, 92a, 98a coupled with each other and both pivoted to the-same connecting rod 93, 93a. This rod passes through guide brackets, the uppermost of which 94,; 94a is shown which serves as a stop for handle 95, 95a'which may be pushed up and down, the handle 95 being shown in the upper andthe handle 95ain the lower position.

It will be clear that when said handle 95 is pushed down so as to occupy the positionwhich handle 95a occupies in system B, the valves 90, III will close the pipes and the throttle control will be inoperative. This inoperative position of the ports is shown in connection with lever system B.

To secure the correct position of'th'e connecting rod the stick I5 and the handle 95 may each be provided with a hole IIII, I02 respectively and a lever Illl] carrying a pin I03 may be pivoted at some point I04 near the master control lever. When the master control lever is made operative the pin I03 on lever I09 is inserted into the hole IGI of handle 95 as shown on the left side of Figure 1. When the lever is out of operation the pin lever I69 is lifted from handle 95a, which then drops down closing the valves 90, 9| attached to the connecting rod. The pin is then inserted into hole I02a as shown on the right side of Figure 1. r

Finally it may be mentioned that throttle valves I06, I06a, I08, 108a may may be inserted into the exhaust pipes for cushioning the piston movement, so as to avoid shocks when the pistons change their position. The throttle valves retard to some extent the discharge of the pressure fluid and they do not permit a manipulation of the piston valve which produces sudden shocks,.as the retardation of the flow of the fluid offers a certain resistance against excessive speed of manipulation. Cushioning of the movement of movable parts is moreover produced or improved by regulating the constant pressure which may be performed by regulation of the pump.

The operation of the system will be clear from the above description. It will be noted that the regulation or control of the mooring engine is performed by moving a lever either in a forward or backward direction and it is of advantage and will facilitate operation to place the lever in such a position that the movement of the lever co-inci'des with the movement imparted to the ship by said lever movement. The operator will in this case execute the movements which are necessary with greater ease and will rapidly develop a feeling for the nature and extent of the ships movement which will develop upon moving the lever to a certain extent.

As will be clear it is necessary to subdivide the are along which the lever I5 moves on each side into two zones or sections which are diagrammatically indicated by dotted. lines inscribed I, II and III, IV. The movement of the lever I5 from the neutral position to position I or position III makes the engine ready for operation in one or the other direction. Further movement of the lever towards positions II and IV determines the speed at which the engine will run in this direction.

In the middle position of the lever I5, shown in Figure 1, 'the mooring engine is at a standstill. Letit now be assumed that the operator wants to r 6 operate the engine in the forward direction and in this case he moves thelever first to position I.

when this is don the throttle control valve 40 and the reverse control valve I5 are both moved to lines II by means oflinks 2| and 23 and of valve stems 22 and 24 respectively. (See Figure 2 as regards valve 15.) By advancing valve 40 to line 1-1 the operative edge of piston like end portion 4| starts to uncover port 30 but does not uncover it suficiently as yet to operate piston 46 and throttlelever I3. However when the piston valve I5 is shifted so as to reach line I-I the port 65 is uncoveredandpressure fluid from pipe I8 will flow through pipe II to the top of cylinder I2. The pressure fluid will cause'the 'piston I3 to move down in the cylinder I2 if it happened to occupy 'the upper position. Piston rod I4 and link I2 is moved and-the slotted link occupies the Thereby the pressure of the fluid admitted to pipe 43 which leads to cylinder 45 and which lifts the piston 46 will vary with the variation in the position of the master lever I5. Lifting under reduced pressure corresponding to a limited movement of the master control lever slightly beyond position I will lead to an intermediate position of the piston 46. The piston when travelling upwardly overruns channel 52 and therefore pressure equalization on both sides of the piston will start. The valves 53, 54, 55 which reduce the pressure of the by-pass fluid permit the building up of pressure on the upper side of the piston. If the pressure applied on the underside of the piston is merely a reduced pressure, equalization will soon be reached, because the difference is small and because the pressure reduction in the by-pass is also relatively small. If however the lever is moved to position II, valve 40 will open port 30 fully and the piston will therefore move upwardly to its full extent as the reduced pressure in the by-pass channel 41 will not be able to effect a pressure equalization on account of the valves 53, 54, 55 which reduce the pressure of the by-passed fluid. The piston will therefore occupy an intermediate position when the lever I5 is moved to an intermediate position and will go up to the extreme position when the lever has been moved to position II.

Theupward movement of piston 46, piston rod 48 and'link rodv I4 will move the control lever I3 of the throttle valve I and will thereby control the admission of steam.

When the lever I5 is moved towards the reverse position III piston valve I5 is moved to the left in Figures-1 and 2 and port 63 isuncovered. At the sametime port 65 is in communication with port 66 a it has been uncovered by the movement piston valve. The pressure fluid on the upper side of piston I3 is thus in communication with the exhaust pipe while at the same time pressure fluid from pipe 33 and pipe I8 flows to pipe 10 and under piston I3. Piston I3, piston rod I4 and link I2 are lifted and slotted link 9 of the reverse gear i moved to its upper position thus re- However this is without furthereffect as r 7 an opening of the throttle valvein accordance with the extent towh-ich the lever was moved.

It will be clear from the-above that the general principles .on which the invention is; based are not connected with the special construction of the pistonvalves, .throttle valves or other members, which may be replaced by other constructions without affecting the result.

I claim: v 1. A hydraulic single lever control system for the mooring engines of ships, provided with a reversing mechanism and: a throttle valve for the control ofthe engines speed, comprising a closed pressure fluid system-with pressure and exhaust pipes, and with two hydraulic cylinders connected with said pipesand provided with pistons, one of them operating the said reversing mechanism and the other operating the said throttle valve, a master lever pivoted tor movement around a ful crum and adapted for limited angular movement in two directions on both sidesof a neutral position, two pressure fluid control devices, each including a cylinder with inlet and outlet ports, connected with the pressure and exhaust pipes ofthe pressure fluid system and a control valve, reciprocable within the said cylinder, means for connecting both control valves positively and mechanically with the master lever, said means including a connecting means between one of said control valves and with said master lever for producing a linear motion of the valve, the extent of which corresponds to the extent of theangular displacement of the master lever with respect to its neu tral position, while the direction of said linear valve movement remains the same irrespective'of the direction of the angular displacementof the master lever with respect to said neutral position and further including means connecting the other control valve With'said master lever for producing a linear motion, the extent and the direction of which corresponds to the extent and direction of the angular displacement of the master lever around its fulcrum.

2. A hydraulic. single lever control system for the mooring engines of ships, provided with a reversing mechanism and a throttle valve ior'the control of the engine speed, comprising a closed pressure fluid system with pressure and exhaust pipes, and with two hydraulic cylinders connected with said pipes and provided: with pistons, one of them operating the said reversing mechanism and the other operating the said throttle'val've', a master lever pivoted for movement around'a ful crum and adapted for limited angular movement in two directions on both sides of a neutral position, two pressure fluid control devices, each including a cylinder with inlet and outlet ports, connected with the pressure and exhaust pipes of the pressure fluid system and a control valve, reciprocable within the said cylinder, one of'said control valves being arranged for linear motion along a line coincident with the neutral'position of the master lever, the other control valve being arranged ior linear motion along a line at an angle to the aforesaid line, and pivoted linksfor'connecting the control valveswith the'master lever.

3. A hydraulic single lever control system for the mooring engines of ships, provided with areversing mechanism and a throttle valv for the control of the engine speed, comprising a closed pressurefluid system with pressure and? exhaust pipes, and with two hydraulic cylinders connected with said pipes and'provided'with' pistons, one of thein'operating the said reversing mechanism and the other operating the said throttle valve: a

masterlever pivoted for movementaround a fulcrum and adapted for limited angular movement in two directions on both sides of a neutral position, two pressure fluid control devices, each including a cylinder with inlet and outlet ports, connected with the pressure and exhaust pipes or the pressure fluid system and a control valve, reciprocable within the said cylinder, one of said cylinders being connected with the pipes leading t the hydraulic cylinder operating the reversing mechanism of the mooring engine, the other cylinder being connected with the pipes leading to the hydraulic cylinder operating the throttle of the mooring engine, the reciprocablecontrol valves controlling the admission of pressure fluid to the pipes connected With the cylinder in which they are reciprocating, the control valve of the first named control device cylinder being arranged for linear motion along a line coincident with the neutral position of the master lever, the controlvalve of the'last mentioned control device cylinder being arranged for linear motion along a line at an angle to the aforesaid line, and pivoted links for connecting the control valves with the master lever.

41 A hydraulic single lever control system for the mooring engines of ships, provided with'a reversing mechanism and a throttle valve for the control of the engine speed, comprising a closed pressure fluid system with pressure and exhaust pipes, and with two hydraulic cylinders connected withsaid pipes and provided with pistons, one of them operating the said reversing mechanism and the other operating the said throttle valve, a master lever pivoted for movement around a fulcrum and adapted for limited angular movement in two directions on both sides of a neutral position, two pressure fluid control devices, each including a cylinder with inlet and outlet ports, connected with the pressure and exhaust pipes of the pressure fluid system and a control valve, reciprocable within thesaid cylinder, one of said cylinders being connected with the pipes leading to-the hydraulic cylinder operating the reversing mechanism of the mooring engine, the other cylinder being connected with the pipes leading to the hydraulic cylinder operating the throttle of the mooring engine, the reciprocable control valves control-ling the admission of pressure fluid to-the pipes-connected with the cylinder in which theyare reciprocating, each of said hydraulic cylindersbeing provided'with a reciprocating piston, anda pressure equalizing fluid-by-pass system associated with the cylinder operating the'throttle of-the mooring engine, producing a limited pressure equalization during the stroke of the piston in the cylinder on the two sides of the same, to make the stroke of the piston dependent onthe pressure-of-the fluid-admitted to the cylinder. 5: In a system as'claimed in claim 4, a by-pass system including pipes connected with the hydraulic cylinder at -different heights and a longitudinalcommunication pipe connecting the aforesaid pipes,- and adjustable valves controlling the connections of: the by-pass system with the cylindersin order to controland limit the pres-'- sure equalization;

6. A hydraulic single-lever'control" system for the mooring engines of ships, provided with a reversing: mechanism a'n'da throttle valve for the control o'f the engine speed, coinprisinga closed pressure fluid system with pressure and exhaust pipes; andwith two :hydraulic'cylinde'rs connected with" said pipes and'provided'with pistons, one o f them operating the said reversingmechanisni nected with the pressure and exhaust pipes of the pressure fluid system and a control valve, re-

ciprocable within the said cylinder, the ports of one of said cylinders being connected with the pressure pipe of the system and with the pipes leading to the hydraulic cylinder operating the reversing mechanism of the mOOIlIIg engine, the ports of the other cylinder being connected with the pressure pipe of the system and with the pipes leading to the hydraulic cylinder operating the throttle of the engine, the control valve reciprocable within the first named control device cylinder being arranged for linear motion along a line coincident with the neutral position of the master lever, the control valve of the last mentioned control device cylinder being arranged for linear motion along a line at an angle to the aforesaid line and pivoted links for connecting the control valves with the master lever, both control valve being timed differently with respect t the opening of the ports, so that the ports of the cylinder, controlling fluid admission to the reverse mechanism operating hydraulic cylinder are opened completely with a predetermined movement of the master lever, while the ports of the cylinder controlling fluid admission to the throttle operating hydraulic cylinder are opened gradually, the pressure of the pressure fluid admitted to the said last mentioned hydraulic cylinder increasing gradually after the first named hydraulic cylinder has become fully operative under the pressure of the pressure fluid.

'7. A hydraulic single lever control system for the mooring engines of ships, provided with a reversing mechanism and a throttle valve for the control of the engine speed, comprising a closed pressure fluid system with pressure and exhaust pipes, and with two hydraulic cylinders connected with said pipes and provided with pistons, one of them operating the said reversing mechanism and the other operating the said throttle valve, a plurality of master control levers pivoted for movement around a'fulcrum, adapted for alternate use, a set of two pressure fluid control devioesfor each master lever, each pressure fluid control device including a cylinder with inlet and outlet ports, connected with the pressure and exhaust pipes of the pressure fluid system, means for closing the pressure pipes leading to and from said ports, a-con-trol valve reciprocable within the cylinders of the pressure fluid control devices, means for connecting both control valves of one set of pressure fluid control devices positively and mechanically withone of the master levers and means for fixing the master levers not in use, said means being positively connected with the means for closing the pressure pipes leading to and from the control cylinders associated with said master lever.

8. In a control system of the character described for engines having a reversing gear and a throttle valve, a closed pressure fluid system, including a cylinder and a fluid operated piston for said reversing gear and for said throttle valve respectively, a dual piston valve for controlling fulcrum in two directions from a neutral position, said movement comprising two phases, a link connection between said master control lever and each of said dual piston valves, one of said link connections shifting the dual piston valve controlling the cylinder of the reversing gear in different directions upon movement of the master control lever in different directions, another link connection moving the dual piston valve controlling the throttle operating cylinder outwardly in the same direction upon movement of the master control lever from its neutral position in either direction, the first named dual piston valve establishing communication between the fluid pressure admission pipe and the distributing pipe, leading to the operating cylinder of the reversing gear during the first phase of the movement of the master control lever, the extent of move ment of the throttle controlling dual piston valve during this phase being insufficient to permit free communication between the pressure pipe and the distributing pipe leading to the throttle valve operating cylinder, such communication being established subsequently by furthermovement of the master control lever during the second phase of its movement, after the reversing gear controlling cylinder has been operated.

9. In a control system for the mooring engines on ships provided with a reversing gear and a throttle valve, 9, closed pressure fluid system, a cylinder and a fluid operated piston therein for operating the reversing gear, afurther cylinder and a fluid operated piston therein for operating the throttle valve, fluid admission, distributing and discharge pipes, connected with said cylinders, a plurality of master control levers adapted to be brought into neutral and into operative positions, said master control levers being alternatively operative for controlling the operation of the reversing gear and the throttle valve, a separate set of fluid controlling cylinders and pistons for controlling operation of the fluidv operated cylinders and pistons for each master control lever, and means for making the said sets of fluid controlling cylinders and pistons associated with the master control levers alternatively operative said means including shut oif valves associated with each master control lever, a common operating member for thesame, and locking means for alternatively lockingthe master control lever on the common member controlling the valves.

CHARLES H. COSNETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 604,253 Loper May 17, 1898 845,949 Harrison Mar. 5, 1907 1,095,146 Esplen Apr. 28, 1914 2,221,365 Ware Nov. 12, 1940 2,234,019 Bragg Mar. 4, 1941 

